Seven American Brickwalls

There are few countries where family history is more popular than the United States. This is in spite of the fact that American genealogists face brickwalls not found in many other countries. Here are seven brickwalls American researchers will likely encounter.

1. Immigration. Discovering an immigrant’s place of origin is one of the biggest challenges in American genealogy, particularly colonial immigrants and nineteenth-century Irish immigrants.

2. Record loss. Courthouse fires, wars, floods, and earthquakes have wreaked havoc on American historical documents.

3. Maiden names. Unlike other European countries, where women did not lose their maiden names at marriage, in the United States they did. The result is lack of knowledge of many women’s maiden names.

4. Migration. Individuals who constantly moved westward can be difficult to place in birth families.

5. Slavery. The lack of surnames and documentation on black slaves makes reconstructing their families very difficult.

6. Frontier. Few records were kept in pioneer areas, particularly regarding intermarriages between Europeans and American Indians.

7. Religious freedom. Religious freedom in the United States blocked the formation of an established church. In contrast to European nations, where priests and ministers faithfully recorded the majority of parishioners baptisms, marriages, and burials, these records are often absent in American research.

With persistence, the proper education, experience, and patience, some of these brickwalls can be overcome.

Comments

I am searching for the parents of Cornelius Hoffman born in Orwigsburg, PA, ? date but approx 1835-ish.
He married Matilda Feger, born Reading, PA on March 5, 1854 in Schuylkill Haven PA.
I can find a Cornelius Hoffman living with jacob and Catherine Hoffamn in the 1850 census in Pa but don’t know if this is my gggrandfather.
Thank you for any help…….Patti

I am looking for the patents and siblings of Joseph H. Pautvein (Potvun) who came to America in 1852 at age 17 (with a friend). He left from Alysses Lorian, France (spelling?) and eventually settled in Taopi, Minn. on a farm. He fought in the Civil War for the North, married Margaret Kassel and had seven children. He is my gggrandfather.
Thank you

All I have been able to find is his marriage record to Ann Varey Pickup (praise be for a distinctive name), The marriage took place in Sept. 1813, in Brotherton, Yorkshire, England.

My great grandfather, Edmund was their third son, and somehow arrived in Mexico around 1850. He was involved in the planning for a national railway. Perhaps that, and the coinsidence of the last names accounts for the family story that we are decended from the famous George Stephenson, of railway fame. But if George had an illigetimate son named Thomas ???

English: My grandfather’s name was Anton Konfiderak. He came to the United States aboard the SS Kroonland in early 1900’s. I never met my grandfather, and I was told that he never talked about his homeland. I know that came from what was was “Austria” Poland at the time and served in the Prussian army before coming to America. I believe he had a brother who went to Brazil. Anton’s last name, Konfiderak, as listed on his official papers became Konfederath here in the United States. My name is Sandy Konfederath amd my e-mail address is skonfederath@rochester.rr.com. I am using Google Translator type this message to you. Waiting for your reply

I have hit a brick wall trying to find the Welsh birth places & parents of my g-g-g grandfather and -mother, Lewis Saunders and Rachel Even. Both were born around 1805 and emigrated to Canada, settling in Woodstock, Carleton, New Brunswick, Canada.

Lewis and Rachel Saunders are my g g g g grandparents. Have you broken through this wall? I just got into researching family, and this is my first time contacting anyone on Ancestry.com or any other website for that matter. I’m defended from Lewis Saunders -> Even Saunders > Alfred Saunders…onward some generations.

Hi there,
This helpline sounds really useful,I am looking for Charles Henry Stepton born 1855 Missouri he was black,so I assume a freed slave.He got married here in England in 1881 and had one son,who had 13 children.ON each census he has put place of birth America,very helpful.I have been searching nearly 40 years to no avail.
Can anyone help me PLEASE.
Thankyou,
Laura

Searching for information about my Uncle, John Ward who was murdered in Chicago in October 1934. We’ve only found out in the last few days, have tried to access newspaper archives on line, as there is reports of the slaying, but finding it difficult as all the search forms are geared to people living in the US, I am living in England. So we are in the dark, found details of my Uncle’s death on this site, and now would obviously like to discover all about my Uncle, was anyone charged?, did my Grandparents back in Ireland know? so many questions, Anyone living in Chicago know the easiest way of finding out any details about this? any help would be much appreciated. Tom

I am attempting to find my father’s family line beyond my great grandmother’s parents. Her name was Olive (Smith) Cowan. Parents – f: Philander Smith (b. 1840-1842? Canada), m: Mary Thompson (various names listed throughout are Marrietta, Mary Etta, Winny… b. 1856?). Smith and Thompson are not the easiest names to search…
Other side of family – Cowan. Again, only to grt grandparents as listed on marriage record: Olive Cowan married Robert T. Cowan (parents: Arthur Cowan and Jane Seymore). But listings of Arthur and Jane do not show Robert T. in any census (only Thomas w/poss. correct birth year.
Frustrated, determined, but stuck. Thanks for any help!
Sharon

Sharon – we share those unknown parents of Philander. I am descended from Philander’s brother Gillis McBain Smith. The two brothers moved together from Wentworth county Canada to Michigan and in various spots in Michigan, ending in the Gladwin county area. I have also been stumped by who these brothers’ parents were. I have researched several theories, including that their mother’s maiden name was McBain and that it was Sherwood as I found Philander living with the Sherwood family at age 14 not far from Wentworth county (I believe it is the same Philander although this is not guaranteed) – both without luck. I am currently researching to see if it is possible that Philander and Gillis were descended from the famous Canadian Methodist Rev. Philander Smith, but no luck so far. The Smith family were Methodists. Would appreciate your contacting me via email so we can put our heads together. Thanks!

#7 kind of ticked me off. Your saying that we should not have freedom of religion because it blocked the formation of churches? Seriously? In the majority of populated areas in the US there were churches. Because this country is so large some small towns didn’t allows have a church but religion was a very important part of peoples lives in America. Contact churches in your area of interest even if the churches wasn’t established in your ancestral timeline they still might know a local historian who can assist you in your search. Most people are more than willing to take a look at there records and see if they might have some information.

They didn’t say religious freedom was bad rather that it could be a brick wall as many of these new congregations didn’t keep the same kinds of records as older European churches. I think in our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) especially we have a deep appreciation for our religious freedoms.

My brick wall is James Stewart (1772/1774) –parents unknown–married Sarah Fleshman–have marriage bond record–July 6, 1796 in Greenbriar, VA–moved to Kentucky–on 1830 Greene County IN Census–copy of his Will dated August 1834–thanks for any help–

I have bought three books so far trying to do my best to learn how to find my great-grandparents on both sides of my family. I have my grandparents name and had the joy to see my father’s mother until her death 1973. She could never tell us much of her life and when she and her friends didn’t want us to know what they are talking about they would talk in Creole.
I do know my mother’s side of her family were reared in Louisiana {Washington Parish} Bogalusa, Frankliton to name a few. I found my grandfather in the 1900 censes it says born about 1835 in Virginia his wife was from Louisiana. His name was Kit Martin. My grandmother on my father’s side mother and father names are R, Charles I also found Rene Charles on a marriage source while I was searching for him it was under father of bride.Her mother’s name was Matilda Baptiste. I’m only giving a jest of my findings for anyone to understand. I can’t get out any more right now do to health and just can’t afford to pay for another subscription for those paying sites.
How do you find a slave owner when you don’t know a name? One book say start in 1870 census I’m at a lost and I will not give up I been searching since 2004. I can’t fill the blanks of four great grand parents how can I get to move on because I know that they double each generation.